


The Renegade

by BlueEyedArcher



Series: The Renegade [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Aliens, Angst with a Happy Ending, Artificial Intelligence, Domestic Fluff, Family Feels, Fluff and Humour, Found Family, Freedom Fighters, I don't really know how to tag this so hang with me, Intergalactic Underground Railroad, Outer Space, Revolutionaries, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Slavery, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, smugglers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:21:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28977312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueEyedArcher/pseuds/BlueEyedArcher
Summary: "It's spongy." Ra exclaimed with a scrunched nose of disgust, his feline-esque face detailing his dislike of the texture from the twist of his ears to the drawn back twitch of his whiskers. His blue eyes glared at the small yellow spongy cake that sat upon the metallic flat dish as if it had personally offended him and his entire planet just by its mere existence. His lips drew back to briefly flash the pearly white incisors tucked politely out of view. The flick of his tail was a sign of his conflicted consideration as the panther like Maw'veh doctor regarded the sugary human dish as if it were a mysterious specimen to be studied with the utmost caution and care.Amara, the ship's cook and the heart of the good ship Renegade, leaned casually against the edge of the table, one arm folded between her and the stainless steel surface as she shared an amused smile with her crewmate. The spongy cake was smeared rather beautifully in a mixture of cream and fresh cut strawberries in a saucy jam like consistency that oozed over the yellow cake with a tantalizingly sweet scent wafting in the air. A fork prodded at the dessert dish before cutting into the cake to separate a piece for Ra."Here. Try a bite." Amara urged.
Series: The Renegade [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2125473
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the introductory short story to a scifi series that follow the adventures of the a smuggler ship and her crew by the name of The Renegade. This story will be a series of short stories that combine together to tell a bigger tale in a large original universe. 
> 
> I do hope you enjoy it, please buckle in and mind the turbulence as we embark on this grand adventure across the universe.

"It's spongy." Ra exclaimed with a scrunched nose of disgust, his feline-esque face detailing his dislike of the texture from the twist of his ears to the drawn back twitch of his whiskers. His blue eyes glared at the small yellow spongy cake that sat upon the metallic flat dish as if it had personally offended him and his entire planet just by its mere existence. His lips drew back to briefly flash the pearly white incisors tucked politely out of view. The flick of his tail was a sign of his conflicted consideration as the panther like Maw'veh doctor regarded the sugary human dish as if it were a mysterious specimen to be studied with the utmost caution and care.

Amara, the ship's cook and the heart of the good ship Renegade, leaned casually against the edge of the table, one arm folded between her and the stainless steel surface as she shared an amused smile with her crewmate. The spongy cake was smeared rather beautifully in a mixture of cream and fresh cut strawberries in a saucy jam like consistency that oozed over the yellow cake with a tantalizingly sweet scent wafting in the air. A fork prodded at the dessert dish before cutting into the cake to separate a piece for Ra.

Ra dragged his gaze up from the activity to take in the smaller voluptuous woman before him. He noted she was wearing a new headscarf, presumably the one Vena had picked out for her given the yellow floral patterns and the small violet butterfly clip that was pinned on the side. It made her warm bronze skin more prominent against the softer colorful patterns of her clothes. A comfortable set of attire often completed with what humans fondly referred to as a cardigan that hung clumsily on her shoulders.

He should have assumed she would be in something far more relaxed this afternoon. He had only caught her by accident while looking for a drink to quench his thirst and had stumbled upon this puzzling treat she seemed so fond of.

"Here, try a bite." She urged, raising the cut piece to his lips with the fork. He frowned briefly before submitting to her good natured coaxing and opened his mouth. There was something entirely _wrong_ about the spongy texture that offended his senses immensely but the taste was heavenly and hard to deny, leaving him in an awkward uncomfortable middle ground as his personal dislike of all things sponge-like was set upon by a firing squad of indecision.

The strange texture was grated away with the rough flat of his tongue as the cake met the dampness of his mouth. Judging by the soft giggle from Amara, he assumed he was making an even worse face that only fueled her delight as she took a bite for herself.

"What do you think?" She hummed.

"This is so good, I hate it. It's _spongy."_ He hissed, swallowing down the bit in his mouth. The sweetness of the berries and the cream was perfect for sating his cravings but the spongy cake was befuddling his senses and he was mildly irritated that humans had made such a delicious atrocity.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't like it, Ra." She pointed out teasingly.

His gaze flicked towards the cake on the dish then back towards the fork. "No, no. I want to give it another try."

The grin on her face spread at that and only grew wider as the kitchen door beeped softly and slid open. The massive black scaly bulk of their Arashian engineer ducked through the doorway, and approached with curious violet eyes searching his two crewmates. Despite their bad reputation, Ra was ecstatic the first time he met Vena, the Renegade's Arashian engineer. Well, actually, correction, he was excited hearing about it but heart broken upon discovering what shape the former slave was in after he gained his freedom. Half starved and terribly sick, the previous ship doctor failed to do his research on his patient's species and signed the Arashian off for being too far gone to be helped.

In truth, Vena was just not getting the appropriate nutrients he needed to help his body bounce back. The crude popular belief that Arashi are strictly carnivores that eat anything and anyone they come across is a bold face lie and a horrible example of misinformation striking fear in the masses.

However, it was a fact that any unlabeled snacks in Amara's kitchen were in immediate danger of being gobbled up by the hungry hard working engineer.

"Good afternoon Vena." Ra greeted him warmly as the Arashian placed a large arm around the doctor's shoulders in a soft embrace. He towered over them both but the entire crew were well aware that the only threat he held towards them was getting dragged into a cuddle pile while he napped in the sun. Arashi, much like Maw'veh, were social creatures that thrived off of physical contact and open affection. It was ingrained into their behavior to be overly affectionate of those they were fond of. Which Ra greatly approved of.

Vena gave a curt nod and rumbled out. "Afternoon Ra. Amara."

"Here Vena. I made strawberry shortcake. Give it a try." Amara chirped as she prepared a plate just for the Arashian. Ra was still cutting pieces off of the shared cake they had. 

"Ra Ra said it's weird." She gave a mock pout.

Ra scrunched his nose up as he shook his head. "It's _spongy._ "

The deep laugh that rattled out of Vena's chest vibrated against Ra's back stirring a flustered rise of the Maw'veh's fur along his neck. It peeked up above the soft powder blue uniform he often wore while working in his lab. The overlapping thin material was clean, sleek and made with the same geyla plant as the Arashian garments Vena wore. Ra had fallen in love with the soft material that was fireproof and tough to damage.

Amara handed the prepared dish over, the metal disc of a large plate looked no bigger than a milk saucer in the Arashian's claws as he held it carefully to examine the contents. Ra gave his crewmate a quick once over, noting he was only wearing a rough pair of dark brown work trousers with the faintest scent of honeyed milk soap wafting off of his bare chest.

"Did you finish your repairs in the engine room today?" Ra inquired, amused as Vena's long tongue slipped out of his mouth, groping the cake with the underlying suckers before tipping it at an angle allowing the whole dessert to slide off and into his mouth to be swallowed whole. The color glands around his throat and across his chest glowed softly, a striking blue against the black expanse of scales to signal his delight. The length of braided black hair down the back of his scalp and along his neck hung down by the base of his throat, long with a texture like equine hair. A rare trait among Arashi but one Vena inherited somewhere along the way from one of his parents.

"I have." Vena grunted as he licked the dish clean. Amara warred forks with Ra over one of the last bites of cake which she won valiantly. A teasing laugh bubbled up out of her as she collected their dishes.

"Did you like the cake, Vena? I've been thinking about it since our last job. Ra's complaints about the sea life made me crave some." 

Ah yes, _that_ planet. The entire planet was a massive ocean of aquatic life forms. They had a delivery to recover along with a crew that went down in the ocean and needed rescuing. Ra made his extreme hatred of all things sponge very obvious after Vena picked up a sea sponge which he kept like a pet. Their pilot, Luka, was amused and delighted by the whole mission.

Vena preened in approval as he hovered over the counter, somewhat caging Ra against the piece of furniture as the Maw’veh fidgeted on the seat. It was sturdy and fixed to the floor with bolts strong enough to endure several barrel rolls at ridiculous speeds by Luka. The heat of the Arashian’s large body tucked so close to Ra felt like a blanket against his back as he swished slowly side to side on the rotating seat.

“Ra.” Vena grunted.

“Hm? Yes Vena?” The doctor tipped his head up to inspect his crewmate curiously.

“Big swelling.” The description was enough in Vena’s limited knowledge of the universal Trade language for Ra to understand that one of his tendrils had been causing him problems lately. He assumed it was the one that got caught and pinched a week ago while he was moving pieces of equipment in the cargo bay. One of the crates fell out of his grasp and caught the tendril that had been balancing another on a ledge while he moved things with one free hand. The entire ship could hear the Arashian’s bellow as he frantically moved the offending item off of his appendage. The swelling would come and go, causing discomfort for the engineer.

“I think I have enough of the anti-inflammatory cream left in my cabinet but we’re going to need to look for more when we stop for port today.” Ra slipped off of his seat and balanced easily on his paws, just as Amara was placing the rest of the cakes away in the fridge to serve later in the evening. 

Muse chimed out with a soft bell like sound, alerting the occupants of the ship.

_“Brace for evasive maneuvers.”_

Amara dove for the ceramic utensil pot she had setting on the counter, its colorful design was a cherished item from her home on Earth. A little lovely taste of Jordan. She carefully locked it in its designated cabinet as Ra scrambled to grab a hold of something. Vena’s large size managed to pin him securely against the counter as the ship jerked suddenly to one side. Amara lost her footing and shouted in alarm.

“LUKA!” As she was knocked off her feet. A long black tendril caught around her waist in time to scoop the small human up into the air before tucking her firmly against Ra where they were both securely pinned by Vena. The strong appendage returned to one of the four ports in Vena’s upper back where it was safely tucked out of view. They braced for yet another jerk, followed by a literal barrel roll. Vena’s claws gripped the sturdy counter to prevent himself from slipping and sliding, with his crouched stance widened further to settle himself down as an immovable object. Even with their Luciferian pilot’s erratic flying patterns.

“Muse!” Ra called out to the ship’s beloved artificial intelligence unit. A soft chime followed as she listened. “What’s happening?”

_“We’ve entered the Veyran Belt.”_

“Isn’t that full of pirates?” Amara blurted.

“Do you think that will ever stop Luka from one of his infamous shortcuts?” Ra grumbled.

“Good point.” Amara huffed before turning towards Vena and placing a gentle kiss to the Arashian’s jaw. “Thank you very much Vena. You get another cake after this.”

The blue glow of his spots was the telling response of the Arashian’s glee at the cook’s promise. Ra pouted. “What about me?”

“You don’t like sponge, remember?” She taunted, giving the larger Maw’veh a gentle pat on the arm, smoothing over the black fur. The motion felt more like petting but Ra was accustomed to being on the cozy end of Amara’s affections and gladly accepted it from all of the Renegade crew.

“I believe I could make an exception. Just this once.” His voice was a low huff.

Amara gave him a knowing smile. “Uh huh.”

There was a loud groan and a tremor that rattled through the ship as they seemed to bounce suddenly. “I swear Luka is trying to kill us all for the fun of it.” Ra blurted.

“That is obvious.” Vena helpfully interjected, earning an amused chuckle from Amara and Ra both.

“True.” She admitted.

There was another rumble and a burst of sound.

“Ja’drys is shooting at something again.” Ra noted with a heavy sigh. “I know Captain Vaera wanted to reach the next port by this evening but this is getting ridiculous.”

“We are running low on supplies. That last port didn’t have enough of what we needed.” Amara pointed out. Which was true. Between the recent influx in pirate activity in certain areas, trade ways were obstructed and defenseless merchant vessels were being attacked and boarded left and right. The outlier ports were struggling enough as is, and what few merchant vessels willing enough to go that far out of their way were being interrupted, suffocating the trade and starving out the small colonies and local vessels that relied upon them.

There was a bit of turbulence as the ship trembled before everything calmed down. A few minutes passed as they waited with anticipation for Muse to chime the all clear.

_“The threat has been averted.”_

“Thank you Muse.” Ra called with a sigh of relief as Vena straightened up and freed them both from their spot. The Maw’veh doctor smoothed his uniform out fretfully at the wrinkles as Amara returned to her own tasks.

“Come on Vena, let’s get you looked at.” Ra urged, waving him along to follow. The infirmary was just down the corridor. Facing the nose of the ship where Luka’s cockpit was, all the doors on the right were the crew’s private quarters which were outfitted with their own functioning bathrooms with automatic timers for water conservation. On the left side of the corridor was the kitchen, the infirmary and the engine room. The back of the ship, which was behind them, was the cargo hold with the gunner pits on each corner. At the very front was Luka’s cockpit which the Luciferian spent most of his time in, more so than his actual private quarters. Especially since Ra and Vena designed a cushioned and comfortable new pilots seat outfitted specifically for Luka’s species to comfortably fly as he pleases.

“Is the swelling causing you any pain?” Ra began once they crossed the threshold. The door automatically slid shut behind them as Ra headed for the medicine cabinet beside his desk. The room had three large beds on one side for multiple patients, an exam table in the center of the room big enough for even Vena to safely rest on during any form of medical procedure and various cabinets and shelves neatly organized with specialized cases within to hold bottles, jars, and instruments without them going flying every time the ship jerks or tilts. The same system was utilized in Amara’s kitchen cabinets and the bedrooms. What couldn’t be bolted down or secured by straps, ropes or fasteners, was held in place with special magnetic frames.

Near the furthest wall opposite the door was a tall slender decorated box that housed Muse within. It had iridescent moth stickers placed on it from Vena, a pink ribbon tied around the ‘crown’ of her housing unit which had beads, charms and other small baubles attached by chains, ribbons and the like woven through as souvenirs from the other crewmates. Little mementos from everywhere they’ve gone to commemorate their travels together. Complete with a Wawa plushie; a small weasel-like amphibious rodent that was common on the Arashian home planet of Kurask. It is an incredibly adorable food source and invasive species that infested the planets and hearts of many to the point that cute memorabilia was made in their adorable honor. When Ra saw it in a shop, he was compelled to purchase the item just to place it on Muse’s unit.

Vena casually climbed up onto the exam table until all nine feet and four inches of his body was sprawled across it lazily, belly down and back up where Ra could properly examine his ports and the injured tendril.

“Just sore.” Vena grunted out with a small yawn breaking through. His jaws dislocated as he bared all of his sharp teeth before the Maw’veh doctor. His predatory nature was lost on the doctor who knew well that the only person truly at risk of ever being eaten by the Arashian was a slaver. He felt no fear from his ferocious overly large companion. 

“Hopefully the swelling will abate in a few more days. It just needs rest.” Ra directed as he collected the small canister of anti-inflammatory cream and returned to the table. He pulled on a pair of gloves and cautiously probed around the broad length of the Arashian’s back. The ports were very hard to spot if one didn’t know what to look for, a tender nerve could cause all four tendrils to fall out and hang limply outside of his body, exposed and vulnerable.

Vena opened the port for the problematic tendril and slowly unraveled it so the doctor could examine the wounded appendage. Inspecting the muscle and faint bruising, he applied the cream around the tender spots and carefully massaged it in. The soft rumble in the Arashian’s chest lightened as the soreness faded. When Ra was finished, he gently guided the tendril back into the port and began cleaning up.

“There, does that feel better?” Ra purred, earning a curt nod of confirmation from the Arashian just as Muse’s bell chimed for their attention.

_“Approaching Port Zevran on planet Vanid. Captain Vaera has issued a meeting in the cargo hold upon landing.”_

“Thank you Muse.” Ra called. Vena slid off of the examination table and stretched his large figure, mindful not to hit the ceiling lights again. It never failed to happen at least once as the Arashian forgot his own spacial limitations. This ship wasn’t exactly designed to be friendly for such a large occupant for so long, but Vena bared through the occasional cramped spaces. He barely made it through the doorways and only due to the fact they had to be large enough to get certain supplies and furniture in and out.

They both exited the infirmary and made their way to the cargo hold as the ship rattled quietly, entering the atmosphere of planet Vanid. Luka expertly navigated them towards the docking platform on the edge of the Capital city. It was a small mountainous region with deep valleys and an economy steeped in mining. The skies were a murky stormy grey, a haze attributed to the exhaustive burning of minerals and ore, refining and reducing them down to be sold and sent on their way to other ports on large hovering freighters. They were partnered with smaller gunner ships that fended off the impending pirate ships nestled along the edges of the nearby Veyran Belt.

It was no surprise as they made their way down the hall towards the cargo hold, crossing the threshold as the doorway beeped with a green light permitting access to the rear, to find Ja’drys lounging in a hammock near the entrance of his gunner pit. His copper red skin was on full display through the thin white shirt, the outline of his Zraiadi markings were a tribal pattern across his torso, arms and face. Similar to a human in appearance, the braided off white hair was tied out of his face as he pursed his lips, hiding sharp predatory teeth in mild irritation as he swayed in the hammock. Judging by the way he was rubbing at his face, Ra assumed their poor gunner ran afoul some surface amidst Luka’s sporadic flying. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s been jerked into one of the dashes in the cramped gunner pits.

He had his legs stretched out comfortably, the rest of the natural patterns obstructed from view by the loose cargo pants that clung to his hips by the grace of a dark green woven belt. Ra caught the bleached white of bone sticking up between the space of Ja’drys’ hip and the sturdy canvas material of the hammock, indicating he was already armed and prepared to leave the ship to stretch his legs. Vena would probably drag the Zraiadi gunner along to assist him in checking the Renegade over for exterior damage from Luka’s defensive flying maneuvers while the rest of them went about their usual duties.

A pair of boots rested under the hammock where Ja’drys left them awaiting to be worn outside. Currently he was barefoot, the claws on his toes could be spotted which Ra noted were desperately in need of a trim again. He mentally ticked it off as a thought to bring up later when they returned to the ship. He could imagine they were unpleasant while wearing any sort of footwear.

The door at their backs opened a moment later as the ship came to rest on the platform. The sound of the thrusters winding down from their hard work was accompanied by the creaks and groans of the ship finally settling for a moment. Amara glided into the room, chipper and excited to visit the market accompanied by her signature large colorful tote bag made of woven and dyed geyla plant fibers and decorated with delicate beading that hung from the braided handles.

Behind her followed the Captain herself. The door slid open to reveal Captain Vaera Gi’Qui, leader of their merry band of smugglers and a fearsome maiden from the Yurrica race. The signature flowing white braids, as pristine as the snow on Pax Scientiam’s arctic coast that brought out the lustrous violets in her eyes. Her skin was a warm dark shade, bolder than Amara’s chestnut tones but not as dark as Ra or Vena’s own ebony coloring. She was a strong presence that commanded the room and quietly drew the eye in her direction. Much like Amara and Ja’drys, she was very human in appearance and much smaller than Ra and Vena both. All three were roughly the same size, give or take an inch or two, with Vaera at the taller end and Amara on the shorter.

“We’re just waiting for Luka.” Vaera announced as she rested her hands on her hips, giving her crew a casual scan. Her signature blue leather jacket rustled against the white fabric of her shirt as she adjusted to inspect Vena momentarily. “How’s your tendril healing, Vena?”

“Better.” Vena grunted out, stooping his head to meet her gaze.

“Good to hear. Taking it easy I hope.” She commented, giving his massive bicep a firm pat. Vena gave an affirmative nod that she approved of with one of her own before turning her attention on the Maw’veh. Ra’s tail flicked thoughtfully as he mentally calculated the supplies he would need that had been steadily dwindling since two ports ago.

“You have the right card right?” Vaera inquired, inspecting the Maw’veh as his ears perked and his tail swayed as he shook his thoughts away and patted the inside breast pocket tucked inside the folds of his uniform. The small metallic card was safely tucked away where he wouldn’t lose it.

“Indeed.” The item was a digital proxy for the physical currency that was universally used from planet to planet known as Marbles. Marbles themselves were various colored balls of glass with a hole in the center that allowed them to be placed on a length of cord. When a laser was shone through them, the official United Galactic Treasury symbol would appear with codes that could be traced and were incredibly hard to replicate and forge. Amara kept a length of cords braided together on a ring inside her tote bag for her own personal use, while the UGT issued card he carried was the Renegade’s own company card. Each of the crew had their own card that linked back to Vaera’s account for the overall crew. Each had its designated code that was like their own I.D allowing her to keep track of expenses and payments as necessary. Ra’s was primarily used for medical supplies, Amara’s for restocking the pantry, Vena’s for repairing the ship and so on and so forth. Even Muse had her own.

“Good. Let me know if you have any problems.” Vaera assured. Ra nodded as the doors opened to reveal their pilot.

Like most Luciferian's, Luka was very small, just under five feet and walked around on all fours. He stood in a crouch with a body like a lizard, minus the long tail, which had a plumage of dark earthy toned feathers. His wings, which were a leathery scaly hide covered in long thick protective feathers that were water resistant for diving into frigid temperatures after fish. Luciferians were fast flyers that dart across the sky, with sharp teeth in a reptilian muzzle primarily for consuming their prey of fish. Large doe brown eyes peered at the world around them with sharp focus. Luciferians, thanks to their fast flight, were quick at analyzing their environment and making split second decisions. This made Luka their most prized addition to the crew as the pilot. His chaotic nature was endearing, as much as his joyful mute presence brought life to any gathering.

"Good job today, Luka. You got us through safely." Vaera praised as she eyed the pilot. His talons clicked against the floor as he scampered towards the hammock Ja'drys was perched in and joined him on the other end. The lazy lounger was big enough for Vena to comfortably climb into allowing the two considerably smaller crew mates to share without even touching. Luka let off a trill in his chest in response to Vaera before settling in for the meeting.

Ra and Vena shifted to the side so they weren't obstructing the view, perching themselves beside Amara who was already digging into her bag and opening a small tin of cookies. Vena leaned over as he nudged her with his nose affectionately, rewarded with the nutty honeyed treat.

"Everyone knows their duties, correct?" Vaera began. "Ra and Amara are going to get supplies. Ja'drys, you'll stay with Vena to help with any repairs. Luka is on refueling." Each of the crew gave a nod of confirmation as she listed off their tasks.

"I have a few errands to run in the meantime." The crew was aware that by _errands_ Vaera typically meant informants, contacts and other activities that related to their work. "Any questions?"

"Does anyone need me to pick up any special requests in the market?" Amara inquired. "Any snacks or ingredients?"

"Wawa." Vena rumbled as he inhaled another cookie from Amara's tin, the tiny morsel looked like a crumb in his large claws. Not even enough to be considered a bit that vanished on his large tongue.

"Wawa is on the list." Amara chirped. Vaera chuckled in amusement as she passed a slip of paper to Ra in a subtle gesture to hand it down to Amara. Presumably her own list. Amara tucked it next to her checklist as she addressed the room. Luka held his talons up in gesture.

"Smoked fish." Ra translated, recognizing the motions of his claws. Luka could fully understand Trade language along with several other languages but speaking it was impossible for Luciferians. Their vocal chords were incapable of pronouncing the complicated syllables or form the sounds. Maw'veh had the ability to alter their own vocal chords with practice in order to utilize complex speech, and Arashians could make it work with a bit of effort though both Luciferians and Arashian languages were primarily animalistic and primitive in sound.

"I'll keep my eye out Luka." Amara promised as she adjusted her tote bag. The tin of cookies had effectively been passed around, escaping Vena's claws after Ra snatched the cookies and traded them with Vaera for her list. She took one to nibble on before handing them towards Ja'drys and Luka.

"Remember to keep Muse on you." Ra reminded as he gestured towards the small white metallic bracelet on his wrist. Each of the crew had their own, each a different color and size. They were capable of tracking each crew member, monitoring vitals, communication with other crewmates and using Muse herself to request information or to translate languages, among many other uses. It was entirely optional to wear them aboard the Renegade, but Vaera and Ra both spoke about the benefits of wearing the devices and their many uses, and it became mandatory that each crew member wear one when leaving the ship. Considering the dangers of their job, it was imperative that they could be kept in touch at all times.

They even made one big enough for Vena's large wrist and one tiny enough to fit Luka's arms.

There was a subtle shake of the arm from most of the crew that silently signalled they all had Muse at their side, a brief flash of their colors that assured Ra and Vaera that they were ready. 

"If anything comes up, just call me and I'll see what I can do. Stay safe." Vaera ended the meeting with the reminder before breaking away to head for the exit. The cargo bay doors opened slowly revealing the gloomy atmosphere of Zevran.

Ra made a face that pulled a giggle from Amara at his side as they descended the ramp towards the city markets. The stench was a punch to his senses even this far out from the refineries. It wafted on the air and made his nostrils burn with the reek. Of course they've been to worse places but that first breath always made him stumble and it took a while to adjust.

The city itself was a looming behemoth, constructed of steam pipes that raced through the streets and upper catwalks soaring above in levels and layers. Many of the buildings were made of stacked stone carved from the surrounding mountains which were barren titans speckled in smog choked trees, mere husks of what once was a thriving forest before Xecium was discovered in their depths. A rare ore of great value, the source of the city of Zevran and the very reason it sprung up in this miserable desolate valley. Tram systems shuttled ore from the mountains to the refineries with their dark haze billowing from smoke stacks, clotting up and clouding the atmosphere causing an oppressive layer that stifled the lungs and stung the eyes. Ra doubted living here for long was good for the health of the occupants but where trade and livelihoods were concerned, people would sooner cut off their own limbs for a handful of Marbles. A desperate city fueled by the bowels of this land. 

The Xecium mined and refined here was sent out to be sold to construction colonies or militaries to build ships, construct homes and even weapons. Prized for its light weight and durability against space and destructive blasts, it was sought after and bought up quickly. The large cargo freighters were prime targets for pirates willing to steal the valuable metal to sell at a higher price.

As they made their way along the winding streets, they were guided by Muse's navigation of the local map through the bracelet. The market itself was close to the landing platforms, optimal for traders and merchants flowing in and out of the edges of the city. As they neared, skirting through the squarely built tenant housing and larger storefronts with their sickly orange lanterns hanging from the entrances, beaming red lights above the threshold declared they were open in the Trade tongue lettering, Ra could smell the vendors selling street food from tiny kitchenette stalls lining both sides of the path.

They meandered in and out of crudely constructed tents in the larger plateau added on, fumbling fountain centered as it barely trickled a brown soupy fluid from the earth. Passersby stopped to chat, seated on the edges as worm-like creatures writhed and wallowed in the mucus like fluid fed by the scraps tossed into the well. Blind and pale, they lurched forward and wrapped themselves around the morsels to consume them swiftly before their companions could come and compete for the meal. Fat and overly fed, the Mykki were a common pet that flourished in places of refuse and poor care.

Ra recalled seeing gigantic Soil Riders that captured these creatures, large as a ship that burrowed deep into the ground in search of water sources on desert planets. In some places they were simply kept as a cheap and easy pet that was a household waste disposal. Their excrement was harvested for field fertilizer and prized among the agricultural market. Here, they appeared to be mascots for waste disposal, amusing and disgusting the visitors who passed by their small domain.

"Look Ra! They're selling Wawa." Amara blurted, tugging on the doctor's sleeve to draw his attention towards the small vendor stand. The amphibious weasels were beheaded, skinned, roasted and slathered in a pink berry sauce. A staple in street food due to their ease of accessibility, they were a delectable meal when stuck on a stick and prepared to go.

Ra stood by and watched as Amara ordered a dozen, handing three silvery Marbles to the vendor. He passed six copper back over which she slid onto a new cord hanging from her Marble ring. As she waited for the Wawa to be packaged up into individual paper wrapping, she leaned in to nudge him fondly. 

"Does Ra Ra want some Wawa?" His tail flicked as his ears perked up, interested at the teasing question.

"Perhaps." He purred, watching as she dug a hot box from her tote bag to keep the food warm until they got back to the ship. She kept one aside for him as she packed them away, which the Maw'veh happily sunk his teeth into the tender juicy meat. It peeled away in a delightful chunk, the crispy skin holding the sweetness of the berries with a savory underlying flavor that the smokiness of the meat brought to the surface. As he chewed through his bite, he offered the stick to Amara who gingerly peeled a piece off with her fingers, suckling the berry juice from the tips as she ate. They moved on, stopping to rent a flat trolley cart which Amara gladly hopped onto to ride while Ra pushed. It was both fun for her and gave her an added height to better see where they needed to stop for their supplies.

For the largest orders, they paid half ahead of time and secured a delivery that would be loaded onto their ship where the business will receive the other half. Most of their food could be ordered and delivered. For the more fragile or expensive items, Ra and Amara saw to those themselves. Some of the medicine, like certain painkillers and sedatives, Ra had to purchase in person and carry himself as a certified physician.

He picked up Vena's anti-inflammatory cream, stocking up on a few containers for future incidences. Amara stacked grain barrels, jugs of various cooking liquids and crates of Jahwa eggs (similar to Earth's farm fowl) onto the trolley. As Ra was signing off on the UGT card purchase, one of the salesmen offered one of their employees to help push their cart back to their ship. The larger man, despite his best efforts, had trouble pushing the cart, groaning as the wheels slowly crept forward.

Apologetically, Ra assured them. "It's alright. I can get it." With Amara perched back onto the cart, sitting proudly atop the barrels which were securely strapped down over the sides, Ra tucked the UGT card away, ensured her tote bag was situated then easily pushed the cart back the way they came. Amara grinned down at Ra as she fished around in the bag, ensuring they got all the requested snacks of their comrades before they exited the market area fully. 

As they approached the landing platform, Ra noticed Vena scratching thoughtfully at his chest as he examined the exterior paneling for any signs of damage. Ja'drys was nowhere to be found though Luka was perched up on the wing with his own wings spread proudly as he seemingly scanned the landing strip. The faint metallic odor of Wyrzarh wafted up, a byproduct of Xecium refined into a bright gold liquid that filled their reserve tanks.

The Renegade, like most ships, held three power sources. A jumpcore in the lower half of the ship powered by the fondly nicknamed Faerie Crystals which, from what Ra has gathered, once had a long winded impressive scientific name that most users of Trade language tossed aside for a more fun and easier to recognize as well as pronounce moniker. A multicolored crystal, the Faerie crystals were easily mined and could support larger charges for extensive jumps across space. The primary source of power for the ship was a battery powered engine that was housed across from Vena's private quarters. And below, housed beside the jump core were their last resort, fuel tanks filled with Wyrzarh. In the rare chance that their two primary sources of power were damaged or inaccessible, they wouldn't be adrift in the endless cold vacuum of space.

Thankfully they've not had to resort to those methods, which Ra was grateful for.

"Where's Ja'drys?" Ra called in their approach, drawing Vena's attention as the Arashian's head swiveled. Violet eyes fell on the Maw'veh doctor, greeting him with a low pleased hum.

"In his room. Bad smell." Vena gestured at his belly with a hand as he rubbed a slow circle in place. "Too much."

"Ah." Yes, well nausea was sadly a common concern in places like these for outsiders. Ra himself was having a bit of trouble dealing with the smell but he had the experience and training to easily ignore the distracting obstacle in order to do his job. Their Zraiadi comrade didn't appear to share the same tolerance as the rest to sharp unpleasant sensations. "I'll check on him after I help Amara put the groceries away."

Ra angled the cart towards the cargo ramp, pushing it up the steep incline until it reached the main floor. As Ra began unpacking, Vena scooped Amara off the top of the cart and gently sat her down to rest on her feet.

"Thank you Vena." She preened, smoothing a hand down the front of her shirt to wrestle away the wrinkles. "I brought you something special."

"Wawa." The Arashian rumbled in delight as he crouched down to attempt to get eye level with his tiny human crewmate. His nostrils twitched as he dropped a glance at the full tote bag crammed with snacks from the market.

"Help us unload and you can eat." Ra called back, carefully balancing the crates of Jahwa eggs in his arms. Muse opened the cargo bay door for him, earning a purred appreciation in response.

Ra carried the crates into the kitchen where they belonged, turning to find Vena with the barrels in each arm to be placed inside Amara's pantry. He sidestepped and returned to gather the rest of the supplies while their beloved cook started to prepare dinner for the crew with the newly purchased fresh ingredients.

  
  
  
  
  


It was nearing supper time when Vaera returned from her _errands._ The rest of the crew had finished their tasks and the deliveries were all organized in the cargo hold and added to the inventory list. As the crew winded down, Muse chimed to call them to the kitchen for meal time. Amara's hard work was a delicious note that greeted all the occupants that crossed the threshold into the kitchen. Gathered around the circular kitchen table, Vaera had already seated herself with a drink, flicking through documents on her holopad. The soft blue glow of the screen cast soft shadows around her face.

Ra, Ja'drys and Vena were the first to join her as they vacated their private rooms and roamed down the hall together. Luka was slowly trailing behind. Lending a free hand to Amara, Ra helped set the table at everyone's designated seats. Amara and Ra sat on either side of Vaera, with Vena next to Amara, then Ja'drys beside him and Luka between Ja'drys and Ra.

Once everyone was seated and the table set, Vaera set her holopad aside and addressed the crew while they quietly consumed their meals.

"We have a job tonight." Ra picked carefully at the plate with his fork as he listened. Vena was already halfway through the roasted whiffler leg that Amara special ordered for him earlier. Its black meat dripping in juices across the platter. The suckers of his tongue ripped large tender pieces away, his color spots flared a bright blue. Ja'drys shared a smaller portion of whiffler while Luka gorged himself on cold fish fillets and a slow cooked rice bowl of aquatic vegetation.

Ra, Amara and Vaera had more complete plates of various vegetables, smaller roasted cuts of whiffler with noodles in a white cream sauce. It was more flavorful than Ra was accustomed to from his home planet but each dish that passed from Amara's grasp never ceased to inspire and sate him. _Even_ the spongy monstrosities she calls dessert.

Ra's attention shifted from his food briefly as Vaera searched for her words. He could tell by the way she picked at her plate that she was stressed about this job. After a moment, she set her fork down and folded her hands together, elbows propped on the table edge as she spoke.

"As you all know Port Zevran was founded on and built around the Xecium mines. It's the heart of this place, their entire economy is reliant on the mines." She explained.

Ra nodded, along with Amara and Luka. The rest offered their gazes as acknowledgement, more concerned about eating their meal while it was still warm.

"Two months ago, the Miners Union started a strike and were supported by the factory workers in the refineries. The entirety of Zevran was forced to a stand still as a result. They demanded safer equipment, better management and higher wages than what they were already receiving due to the dangers of Xecium mining." Vaera reached for the holopad once more to draw up images.

"The Zevran Mining Company dismissed their demands and fired all of the miners. This bullied the factories to reopen or else they'd lose their jobs as well. Hundreds of people were out of work and yet, somehow the mines were still open and trade continued." Everyone could tell where this was going already. Even as Vaera lifted the holopad to show poorly taken photographs of people being unloaded from a tram by the mines. Slaves of various races shackled together and held at gunpoint as they're forced into the lifts leading into the mines. There was even an Arashian in specialized restraints.

"The mine is important to this city and the Union is furious to find out slaves have been forced to work in worse conditions than their own people. They want their mines back, intact and the slaves freed." Vaera passed the holopad towards Ra as he examined the photographs. There was a map of the mines themselves which were uploaded to Muse's database. A plan was already working in his head. Judging by the look on Vaera's face, she shared a similar thought.

"I can start getting ready after Ja'drys and I help Amara with dishes." Ra offered.

Ja'drys cocked a brow at him, puzzled by the comment as he was in the middle of breaking the whiffler rib bones open to get at the marrow. "Its Luka's turn." Ja'drys corrected.

"Luka did it last time to cover for me, remember?" Ra added. "I had to treat Vena's injury. So you're helping." A heavy sigh escaped the Zraiadi that sounded closer to a growl at this point, punctuated by the crack of bone breaking. His attention shifted to that instead as Ra shook his head and addressed Vaera. "Is that alright?"

"Don't take too long." Vaera confirmed. Being docked at port was the rare few times they could thoroughly clean, doing laundry and dishes, as well as restock their water tanks. In the meantime, their dishes just soaked in a tank of cleaning solution, waiting to be scrubbed and rinsed.

"We won't." Ra assured as he finished his meal, giving Vaera a little unspoken nudge to do the same. She sighed and set the holopad down before giving in. Amara preened on the other side of her as she added. 

"Don't forget, I made dessert." She chirped. "There's enough for everyone. Except Ra because he doesn't like sponges." She teased as the Maw'veh scrunched his nose up and pointed his fork at her.

"I can make an exception for this!" He declared. A soft chuckle left Vaera in amusement at her crew's easy banter. Ra noticed a visible change in the set of her shoulders as they teased one another. The planning could wait a little longer until after dessert.

  
  
  
  
  
  


“It’s not too tight, is it?” Ra fussed one more time with the restraints on Vena’s torso. With the help of the miners, they were able to get some of the worker’s clothes to disguise themselves in. The beige uniforms were uncomfortable for the Maw’veh, and only the pants fit Vena, excluding a shirt from his disguise. Which was fair considering it was hard to fit any clothing overtop of Arashian restraints. The device in particular was electrified shackles that connected to a collar and harness, with large flat plates that covered the ports in the back. Little moveable prongs would be forced inside the ports, a painful action when the harness was tightened, allowing a direct jolt of electricity to be driven inside the captive Arashian and completely and effectively incapacitate them. This set of restraints was deactivated with only the magnetic cuffs functioning long enough to slip them through the front entrance with a new cluster of slaves.

Ra had shifted to match one of the more common humanoid slaves, a grey skinned and pudgy Warvor. The best description Ra had for the race was as if someone had attempted to make humans from clay and it melted before it could settle. They were a nocturnal race that often dwelled in cave systems and built giant hills from mud and stone that they lived in and stored food. His eyes felt far too big for his skull and his vision was shortened considerably, making it hard to see until they reached the darker depths of the mines.

Trying to walk in the strange boots felt uncomfortable for Ra as he attempted to adjust to his new center of gravity. His skin itched in discomfort, prickling as his nostrils filled with the dust of the mine on his first breath. Raw Xecium had a certain scent to it, the fumes it gave off in the refineries were toxic as they burned out the impurities from the bronze colored chunks of ore with its brighter golden flecks riddling the pieces. Billions of souls have died in the pursuit of mining this precious metal, and billions more will follow, but the difference between many of them were that this was their choice.

These slaves did not choose to live this way. To die in this horrible place. Forced into the bowels of a mountain, never to see the light of day again. The miners had informed Vaera that they saw plenty of slaves go into the mines, but never once had a single one left. Somewhere in here they had built temporary barracks for them to be housed. The walls were lined with the yellowish glow of lanterns hung haphazardly along the corridors, spaced between the support beams that kept these tunnels from collapsing in on themselves.

“Have I ever told you how much I despise underground tunnels?” Ra grumbled to Vena who tilted his head and gave it a small shake. The Maw’veh disarmed the magnetic cuffs allowing for the Arashian to have free mobility once more. They were lucky that the Union had a few friends on the inside. A security guard that ran the trams full of slaves into the mining camps that let them slip in as a replacement for two of the slaves that were wounded in a collapsed tunnel two days ago. That didn’t bode well for Ra, knowing that there were injured people inside that, from the sounds of it, never got medical treatment.

The guards that circulated the lower levels were cloaked in protective black gear and wore gas masks that hid their faces from the workers. It made it hard to tell them apart aside from subtle differences in size and build. Ra recognized several Nautippus, typically a swamp dwelling race with a beak like pink mouth that consumed primarily vegetation or the eggs of animals, preferably those of fish. They had short legs, walking on all fours and deceptively strong. Their large doe brown eyes were double lidded for protection when diving, and their greyish blue skin protected them while foraging in murky water. These ones were missing their signature antlers which protected them from other predators while hunting and feeding on the shorelines and shallows. Upon closer inspection, and to Ra’s horror, he realized they’d been cut off, filed down to their scalps and branded closed to prevent them from growing back. Their backs and shoulders were covered in rash like stretches and open sores where the harnesses were strapped as they were forced to pull large carts full of ore towards the entrances to be delivered to the lifts and carried up. 

Vena nudged Ra along to keep him going. They had a task to complete before they could free these people. Steeling himself, they took up their tools to help work, slipping into the clusters of slaves as they dug stone away to expose the veins of ore along the walls, careful of every strike. Each breath was a labor for the doctor the longer they remained down below, leaving him light headed. Shaking the dizziness away, he thought he was imagining the soft sound of humming that came from an adjacent corridor.

“What is that?” Ra inquired, turning to find Vena humming along to the familiar song. The Maw’veh had never heard the tune before but Vena seemed to know it by heart as his chest rattled along. Words rose and fell in timed lulls, the sound of picks and tools hitting rock matched pace as they sang.

“It’s the language of the slaves.” Vena explained.

“Muse, are you recording this?” Ra asked, addressing the white bracelet on his wrist. Muse gave a soft chime in response, confirming that she was catching it all.

“What does it mean? What are they singing about?”

“Tell stories. This song. Full of hope. For freedom. For life. Elsewhere.” Vena hummed. “I sung it. When I was slave. My hope came true.” The neutral black of Vena’s spots mingled between turquoise, a bright green and their deep blue as he listened, straightening up with more interest now “Song is longer. New words.”

“Is that bad?” Ra was hesitant to ask.

“No.” Vena purred. “About us.”

“Muse, can you translate?” Ra murmured, holding the bracelet up to his mouth. The soft chime answered in a rough translation into Trade speak.

_“A lone voyage on black waves. A maid in white and wings of scarlet. Dreams of home and distant lands await. Here comes the child of the Renegade.”_

As the songs filled the corridor, Vena’s spots flashed erratically with a mixture of feelings that Ra could certainly agree with. A chill ran down his spine in an entirely good way as he shared a small smile with Vena. “They’ve been waiting for us.”

“Not disappoint.” Vena grunted in agreement. Ra could agree with that wholeheartedly. Turning their attention to their surroundings, the Maw’veh recalled the tunnels from the Miners' maps. Somewhere further in was a stash of emergency supplies that the miners kept, already planning to fight back against the ZMC. Searching the corridors and skirting around the guard rotations, Ra slipped in and out of the rows of slaves, pausing to make himself look busy before he noticed the sign on one of the corridors indicating the area was unstable. Beneath the sign was a small scratched out carving of the UM in Trade letters, indicating that the stash was just beyond.

Searching the corridor and checking that the coast was clear, Ra slipped into the closed off area, pushing past the large wooden barriers and bright lantern stands warding the unwary away. Further in, where no lantern light could reach, Ra found the sturdy metal trunks filled with tools, food, emergency medical supplies and weapons.

“Muse, tell Vena to spread the news.” Ra directed, earning the soft chime of the A.I in response. With the Arashian’s extensive knowledge of the coded slave language, he could get the news around far quicker than Ra ever could. In the distance, Ra heard one of the songs abruptly change as the slaves sang louder until their voices echoed down the tunnels. There was a small irrational fear that their words alone would cause the earth to quake as they sang with purpose and far more life, making their earlier songs sound mournful and yearning.

The shuffle of footsteps approached the corridor he was in, causing the Maw’veh to turn quickly and shield himself with his arms protectively in front of himself. It took a moment for him to make out the beige uniforms in the dark as his eyes adjusted.

To his surprise, it was a human that greeted him. Face blackened with soot and dirt, so only the whites of their eyes peered back at him. He was older, grizzled features and silver hair turned ashy from the debris where it was hastily tied back. A strange accent rolled the man’s syllables yet it remained pleasing to the senses. “The Arashian said yer here tae free us all.”

“We are.” Ra assured. “We need to get all of you out of here so the miners can secure the mine.”

“Leave that to me.” The man grinned. “Call me Darragh.” He offered his hand in a firm shake. Ra met it in kind and gave it a squeeze.

“You may call me Ra and my companion, the Arashian you spoke of is Vena. We’re both crewmates on the Renegade.”

“Yer shittin me right?” Darragh snorted. “Aye, we’re damn glad tae see ya.” He stepped past Ra to inspect the tools in the crates and smirked.

“This ain’t Ireland but we’ve a history fer risin up against arseholes if ya get mah meanin.” He chuckled, picking up a metal rod that had been used for stabilizing some of the smaller tunnels and wielded it with a familiar swing, rotating his arm as if he were using a bladed weapon or a club. The rod whistled with the quick motion. “This’ll do me good.”

Steadily the slaves trickled into the small darkened corridor, those that were abled bodied. Ra was informed by Darragh of the wounded that were stashed in the barracks near the entrance. The guards had been talking about how to deal with them, and from the sounds of it, none of it was pleasant. A few elderly and infirm were among them trying to help with what limited supplies they had to offer. Ra noted where they were on the map and mentally reminded himself to return once he and Vena got them out and above ground where the miners and Vaera could see to the rest.

From the sounds of it, Darragh had become a sort of leader among the captives forced to work in the mines. He quickly found his footing and stood firm for the rest, offering protection and advice to the newcomers and sheltering them from the brutality of the guards. As the slaves gathered, they looked towards Darragh with hopeful eyes, pleading and muttering to the man as he directed them with confidence.

When a good chunk were ready, they started to move through the mine, checking tunnels as they went and carefully incapacitating the guards along the way. They freed the Nautippus’ while Ra deactivated the Arashian restraints on another slave. Vena was further ahead, the sound of shrill clicks and noisy chirps filled the air, drawing pained screams from a cluster of guards that mistook the Arashian for being one of theirs. As the guards dropped to their knees, the slaves finished restraining them with the same magnetic cuffs they used on the captives. Making their way towards the lift, Ra and Darragh rose up with a dozen slaves huddled together. The lever was thrown as they approached fresh air and the bright overhead lights of the mining camp.

With a quick scan of their surroundings, the guards had yet to notice they made a break for it. Darragh led the slaves forward as Ra hailed the dark shadow in the sky above. Luka swooped down closer as he waved his arms above his head. Relaying the signal, there was an explosion at the gates as Mountain Treaders barreled through the defenses. Large rolling terrain vehicles, armored and able to go over most surfaces with rolling treads, the miners used them occasionally to haul larger equipment that the trams were too small for.

Ra shook off his shape, earning a startled noise from Darragh who turned back to find the Maw’veh doctor, a little winded and dizzy from the change, but holding the position next to the lift. It groaned as it lowered to collect the rest of the slaves. Guards rushed in, scattered as they struggled to follow orders, uncertain of whether to attack the miners or the slaves, they ended up quickly overrun.

Amidst the chaos, Vaera stood proudly upon the front of a Mountain Treader, her snow white hair glistening in the floodlights around the camp. The red insignia of the Renegade emblazoned on her uniform, a diamond shape with a line across it horizontally stood on a t-pose. A black padded and armoured jacket protected her from most projectiles, including the stun rounds the guards fired off as crowd control. It lasted about as long as one would expect before the furious Nautipuss’ charged like bulls through the line, bucking and pawing, sending guards sprawled and panicking. With blaster in hand, and the miners rushing in with tools and other various weapons, the camp was overtaken with limited casualties.

It happened so quickly, that by the time it was over, Ra felt his senses still trying to collect themselves. Vena helped the last of the slaves exit the mine, carrying the wounded and elderly out with the second Arashi, a considerably smaller male who, from the clicks and chirps that stirred between them, and the embarrassed turquoise coloring of Vena’s spots, was chiding him gently. The miners took hold of the lift to inspect the damages, relieving Ra of his position as he turned towards the wounded. Many were gathered near the vehicles where they were safer and Ra could access the medical kit Vaera packed onto the machine for him. A quick scan from Muse, and he noted a few minor broken bones that were quickly set and wrapped.

Darragh helped, offering a calming presence for the wounded and speaking comfortingly to his patients. As Ra touched their injuries, he could feel their emotions flooding into him. The overwhelming relief after the initial pain faded. The tears that welled in their eyes as they spoke in their familiar coded tongue and Darragh smiled, warmly and sympathetic in return as he assured them and put them at ease.

The sickly and elderly were given medicine and headed for the tram to be taken back to the port city where they could receive long term medical care.

Ja’drys approached with a snarl on his lips. “Found the foreman!” Luka tailed behind him clutching to his chest a large metal coffer locked shut. Using the keys the foreman had on his belt, Vaera took the coffer and the keyring and popped it open, revealing about two dozen vivid blue Marbles kept on carefully measured cords. The blues were a rarer form of currency, equaling the amount of a thousand coppers. It wasn’t every day that the Renegade came across them. Closing the coffer, Vaera turned towards the foreman, a large humanoid man with a greyish tint to his skin. Bald and snakelike, he bared his fangs in a hiss of disgust.

“Vild’Mar.” Vaera greeted the Nakk with barely concealed anger burning in her eyes. Ra watched from where he was crouched, Darragh had risen to observe the encounter with amusement in his dull blue eyes. “You and your men are finished here. The Union is reclaiming the mine.”

“The ZMC has a differing opinion.” Vild’Mar growled. “You have no power here _Mee-lok_.” He spat at Vaera, a green venomous fluid that sluggishly rolled off her boots.

“Clean up your mess.” She countered casually, driving the toe of her boot into his stomach. The Nakk buckled over, gagging on a stumbled breath as he was dragged back to his feet.

“What’s tae happen to the bastard?” Darragh inquired, folding his arms over his chest as he appraised Vaera with a critical eye, amusement dancing on his expression as if the older human was having the time of his life with all this excitement. Ra continued to be surprised by the expressive tendencies of humans in strange circumstances.

“The miners will handle him and his superiors.” Vaera informed. “The Union has rallied the entire city against the ZMC in an effort to reclaim what was rightfully theirs to begin with.”

“Freedom to the masses. What they say ‘bout ya Renegade is true. Yer really fer the people.” Darragh hummed. She gave a curt bob of her head.

"I'll deliver the coffer to the Union to be divided up as necessary among the miners and the freed slaves." Vaera prompted.

"Aye, we appreciate the assistance from ya." Darragh chimed. "All you've done fer us. Where ya headed after this?"

"Wherever we're needed next." Vaera answered easily. "And you?"

"I'll stay here. Get these folks figured out. The ones that wanna go home and the ones content tae stay. They each deserve their own hand at freedom n'I know plenty more need the help than our little lot." Darragh let out a hearty laugh at that. The easy smile split his face as he gave Ra a gentle pat on the shoulder where the Maw'veh doctor was still crouched tending to the wounded. "This one has quite the talent fer surprises."

"That he does." Vaera broke a small smile. "As do you. You led your people well. Continue to stay true to that ideal."

"Call me Darragh." He extended his hand to her in greeting. "May our paths cross again someday." Darragh tipped his head in a good natured bow before moving on to check on the Nautipuss' who had found a comfortable spot to lounge in the small break of daylight that crested over the mountains.

Weary and still with much work to do, Ra was busy with taking care of numerous patients as they were sorted out. Among the dozens that were saved, many opted to stay in Zevran. Others had already found ships to safely take them to their homeworld after a clean bill of health and a brief shower at the communal bath houses near the dockyard.

They had a new Arashian guest that joined their ship, eager to return to their homeworld. The clicks and chirps from Vena were noted by Ra as they spoke enthusiastically to one another while aiding the Maw'veh doctor in his tasks. The miners offered to temporarily house those that wished to stay and the Union helped cover those too wounded and sickly to leave yet and find them later passage to safety. With the ZMC on the defense, it wasn't long before news got out and what superiors remained in the city had fled through private ships in the port. The Union reclaimed the refineries as their private security was overrun and dispersed, or turned against the company altogether to support the miners and factory workers.

By the afternoon, the Renegade crew was exhausted, six thousand Marbles richer compliments of the foreman's coffer, and ready for a long overdue rest. They departed, with a very grateful Darragh stopping by to see them off. Cleaned up and in a new pair of clothes, he looked considerably livelier and like a new man. Far older than Amara by a few decades, the Irishman jokingly nudged their cook who shared a taste of their homeworld with him.

" _I'm only going over Jordan, I'm only going over home._ " Darragh sang a strange song that Ra recognized as being from Earth. It sounded rather pleasing to his ears as he relaxed in the kitchen chair and slowly picked his way through an early lunch. His empty stomach growled after a long night, his paws ached from the hours of work in that absolutely horrid footwear he was given.

Vena had slipped into the room, attempting to hide from the older Arashian that had taken to _grooming_ him and referring to him as a hatchling. From what Ra knew, Vena was just past his hatchling years and was a mature adult but from what his crewmate has informed him, it is not uncommon for older Arashian's to treat younger ones like their young and fondly tend to them. Either that, or it was an attempt to court him, which either way he was uninterested in the efforts though flattered.

Ra chuckled at that and shared the other half of his roasted Wawa with his companion and leaned against Vena's large bicep. Nuzzling tiredly against his side, he let out a contented rumble. His pale blue eyes finding the gentle teasing of Darragh endearing as he and Amara spoke excitedly in their Earth language. She fixed him something to eat that he appeared to nearly cry over and made commentary about how surprised he was to find Jordan had come to his rescue. The comment was prior to the singing which confused Ra but the soft sounds of Earth music wasn't so strange to him to hear. Urging him towards a more drowsy state.

Before long, Darragh excused himself to leave, bid them a final farewell and extended his regards to Captain Vaera which Ra assumed had already retired to her quarters after the meeting with the Union board earlier. 

Ready to finally depart with Luka at the controls, Ra managed to drag himself to his private quarters, tugging Vena along at his side to finally get the long overdue sleep they required for healthy mental and physical functions. Kurask was only sixteen hours away and they still had another stop to make after that. But that of course, was for another day.

  
  



	2. Fanart by Tyrantwache

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first two images are Arashian's (like Vena) done by the amazingly talented Tyrantewache on Devianart and tumblr. The second piece are Wawa.

**Author's Note:**

> TO BE CONTINUED…...
> 
> Mee-lok is a trade slur where the closest English translation means Bitch  
> Met-lok is a trade slur where the closest English translation means Bastard
> 
> There are various languages spoken by various species but many have adopted a "Trade" language. For the ease of the story, its written in Earth English but all of the dialogue is spoken by the characters in this "Trade" tongue.
> 
> Please leave a comment and kudos below, every opinion is worthy. Please, feedback is important for future creativity and inspiration.
> 
> If you click on the next chapter, there is fanart of what Wawa and Arashian's look like!


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